The following discussion of the background art is intended to facilitate an understanding of the present invention only. The discussion is not an acknowledgement or admission that any of the material referred to is or was part of the common general knowledge as at the priority date of the application.
It is known to couple wave motion to a device operable in response to wave motion, one example of which is use of a float to translate wave motion into a reciprocating pump action. Typically such floats are of solid construction and comprise buoyant material such as foam.
While such floats are effective in providing buoyancy, they can be heavy.
When exposed to an aggressive sea state, typically adverse weather conditions (such as in storm conditions), floats can be subject to extreme forces. Known floats can be prone to damage or collapse when exposed to such conditions. Further, tethers to which the floats are connected can be damaged or ruptured in such conditions.
Furthermore, such floats are generally not well-suited for intercepting the horizontal wave motions that exist in shallow water conditions.
It is against this background and the problems and difficulties associated therewith that the present invention has been developed. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to address at least one of the problems or difficulties of previously known floats, or at least provide a useful choice as an alternative.